Chapter 293: The Secret of the Chu Family

Unwilling to accept the situation, Chu Zhongtian quickly pressed, "Brother Wang, is there still a way to acquire another batch of salt certificates?"

Wang Fu shook his head with a bitter smile. "In previous years, it wouldn't have been an issue. But as you know, Brother Chu, our border garrisons and trade outposts suffered devastating losses from the barbarian raids this year. This current batch of salt certificates was only procured by meticulously collecting surplus grain from warehouses across the entire nation. Acquiring another batch is simply out of the question."

"What will happen to the salt business for the coming year then?" Chu Zhongtian slumped back into his chair, appearing to have aged many years in an instant.

He knew it was likely a lost cause, but he asked anyway, just in case.

Wang Fu gritted his teeth and said, "Brother Chu, I might have an idea."

"What is it?" Chu Zhongtian asked urgently.

Wang Fu explained, "Everyone aware of this salt certificate robbery is now under my control. I will deny it if anyone asks in the future; we'll simply pretend the salt certificates were never stolen. We can use the salt certificates designated for two years from now to manage this emergency. Once we weather this storm, things will surely improve."

Salt merchants conduct business on an enormous scale, and sometimes a single year's allocation of salt certificates is insufficient. Therefore, the government maintains a reserve of salt certificates for the next three years to cover unforeseen needs.

However, utilizing these reserved salt certificates comes at a cost, primarily a significantly higher price.

A standard salt certificate costs 1.5 taels of silver. However, advancing certificates from future years requires an upfront payment of 2.1 taels, akin to loan interest. This government policy also serves as a form of macroeconomic regulation, preventing salt merchants from indiscriminately flooding the market with large quantities of salt purely for massive profits.

"But that would make the salt certificates prohibitively expensive," Chu Zhongtian frowned. "Considering all the additional fees, the cost would be three to four times the current price—far too expensive."

Wang Fu shook his head. "Brother Chu, you're missing my point. I propose we advance those salt certificates, pretending they are for next year. Then, once we recover next year, we can acquire enough certificates to return to the treasury. This way, it will go undetected and resolve our immediate crisis."

Chu Zhongtian's expression changed. "Absolutely not! This would be undermining the imperial court, and if discovered, it's a grave offense!"

Wang Fu countered, "With your connections in Mingyue City, Brother Chu, and our Wang family's long-standing operations, it won't be easily exposed. Furthermore, advancing salt certificates like this has been a common practice among various families in previous years. How many of them actually paid the full tax?"

Chu Zhongtian said gravely, "But in previous years, it was only small advance amounts that people chose to overlook. This time, it's an advance for an entire year's worth of salt certificates. The scale is simply too immense. No, I don't believe it's feasible. Absolutely not."

Wang Fu sighed. "Brother Chu, forgive my bluntness, but what other choice do we have if we don't proceed this way?"

"To my knowledge, illicit salt has become increasingly rampant this year, and much of your Chu family's salt isn't selling, is it?"

"You couldn't sell your salt even when the certificate cost was 1.5 taels. Now, with costs approaching 4 taels, you'll find it even harder to sell. And even if you do, how much can the Chu family really profit? The Chu family is vast, with enormous expenditures in every area. Without the income from the salt business, I fear you will quickly face a financial deficit," Wang Fu analyzed.

Chu Zhongtian's expression shifted, and he abruptly rose to his feet. "Our Chu family has a legacy spanning centuries; we can certainly absorb this loss."

While it would be a significant blow, at worst, it would involve selling off some ancestral properties and land.

Just as he was about to erupt in anger, Wang Fu suddenly knelt before him, clutching his leg. "Brother Chu, your Chu family is vast and established; you can bear this, but my Wang family cannot. After the previous raids on our border trade outposts, our family is already teetering on the brink. If news of this salt certificate robbery gets out, the Wang family will be completely ruined. Brother Chu, we've been friends for so many years, and I've never asked you for anything. Please, will you help me this time?"

"Brother Wang, please get up at once! What are you doing?" Chu Zhongtian hastily helped him up, knowing that among the prominent families, the Chu and Wang families were the closest, having regarded each other as friends for decades.

"The Wang family is on the verge of total collapse; what good is this old face of mine then?" Wang Fu simply slumped to the ground, refusing to get up.

Chu Zhongtian's expression fluctuated. "Let me think. This matter is truly of immense importance."

Hearing the softening in his tone, Wang Fu was overjoyed. "Thank you, Brother Chu. Your consideration alone is more than enough for me. As for whether it succeeds, we'll leave that to fate."

When Chu Zhongtian returned and discussed the matter with Qin Wanru, her face paled. "Of course not! Husband, how could you be so foolish as to agree to something like that?"

Chu Zhongtian sighed. "How could I not know how dangerous this is? Yet, what Wang Fu said has merit. If we were to meticulously pay the advance for every salt certificate as required, the cost of official salt would become prohibitively high, and ordinary people would simply refuse to buy it."

Qin Wanru urgently replied, "What if they don't buy it? Our Chu family can afford to lose a year's income. Now that the imperial court has dispatched Sang Hong to oversee us, if we make any move and he detects it, the consequences will be severe."

"The Chu family's situation is not as stable as you imagine," Chu Zhongtian stated grimly. "In previous years, we suffered annual losses. Our circumstances only marginally improved after Chu Yan took the helm recently, but even that cannot withstand such an enormous loss."

Qin Wanru couldn't help but ask, "I've always wanted to know: even accounting for our poor management, the Chu family controls two incredibly lucrative businesses in salt and iron. Where has all that money gone? Why do we incur losses every single year?"

"I never intended to hide this from you, but you were too preoccupied to ask," Chu Zhongtian explained. "You're aware of the Salt Transportation Commissioner's Office, aren't you?"

"Of course, I am," Qin Wanru replied.

Chu Zhongtian then proceeded to explain the full story in detail.

Due to the immense profits generated by salt, every dynasty established a dedicated department to oversee its production, transportation, distribution, and anti-smuggling efforts.

The Linchuan Prefecture Salt Transportation Commissioner's Office was responsible for regulating Mingyue City.

The head official, the Salt Transportation Commissioner, held an exceptionally lucrative post, a position yearned for by countless officials.

However, because the Chu family had been established in Mingyue City for centuries, overseeing the salt industry, appointment as the Salt Transportation Commissioner generally required the Chu family's endorsement.

To a certain extent, these Salt Transportation Commissioners were either members of the Chu family or individuals closely allied with them.

Yet, in the bureaucratic system, with its constant turnover, few officials remained immune to corruption.

Every Salt Transportation Commissioner, along with their deputies and subordinate officials, would inevitably enrich themselves to some degree.

Successive heads of the Chu family could only turn a blind eye to this. Firstly, these officials were already close to the Chu family, and secondly, it was an unwritten rule of officialdom—a practice prevalent not just in the Salt Transportation Office but in other departments as well.

Moreover, after their tenure, these officials from various levels of the Salt Transportation Commissioner's Office would either be promoted to the central court or transferred to high-ranking local positions. This created a vast web of influence within the imperial court, where disturbing one part could affect the entire structure.

If the Chu family dared to speak out, they would risk offending an extremely formidable power.

Thus, over centuries, the accumulated deficit in the Salt Transportation Commissioner's Office treasury had swelled to an astronomical sum.

In the past, these discrepancies could be concealed through various accounting manipulations. However, by Chu Zhongtian's generation, the deficit had grown too vast to be hidden any longer through such means.

"So, all the money the Chu family has earned over the years has been used to cover the centuries-long accumulated deficit in the Salt Transportation Office's treasury?" The color drained from Qin Wanru's radiant face.

Chu Zhongtian offered a bitter smile. "Precisely."

"Why?!" Qin Wanru's face was contorted with anger. "Why should our Chu family be responsible for compensating for the funds embezzled by successive salt officials?!"

Chu Zhongtian replied gravely, "It's because our Chu family has always held control over the rich salt and iron fiefdom of Mingyue City. Do you truly believe that such a lucrative territory could be secured by our ancestral merits alone? It is thanks to the consistent protection of those officials over the years that our Chu family has managed to retain this stronghold."

"It wasn't always this complicated. However, in recent years, I've sensed that the Emperor seems to be preparing to act against our Chu family. I had no choice but to prepare, making small efforts to replenish the Salt Transportation Office's treasury deficit, at least enough to make the accounts appear acceptable and withstand any imperial investigation."

Chu Zhongtian paused, then continued, "This is also why I have the confidence to withstand pressure from both the Emperor and Prince Qi and remain neutral: we have countless imperial officials as our backing! They are the very last people who want anything to happen to the Chu family; otherwise, not a single one of them will escape accountability!"

Qin Wanru suddenly had a realization. "That ledger you so solemnly entrusted to Chu Yan for safekeeping last time, which you claimed contained accounts of dealings with business partners—now that I think about it, it must be the evidence of corruption by successive officials of the Salt Transportation Commissioner's Office, isn't it?"

Chu Zhongtian nodded. "Precisely. As long as that ledger remains safe, no matter how much the Emperor or Prince Qi might wish to move against our Chu family, we will remain unharmed!"